A visit to the TF in Tompkins Square Park

On Saturday afternoon, the skaters on the court (aka TF — for Training Facility) in Tompkins Square Park were in a celebratory mood.

A rally had been organized to protest the city's plan to place a synthetic turf on this space in the northwest corner of the Park. However, less than 24 hours before the going-viral rally was to take place, the city announced late Friday that it would no longer carry out those plans, which were quietly revealed during a Community Board committee meeting in May.

"Tompkins Square Park has served as the epicenter of NYC skateboard culture for decades, as such, we have decided to leave the area previously proposed for synthetic in the park as is, and will not move forward with creating a synthetic turf area there," Parks Department spokesperson Crystal Howard said in a statement to Patch.

On Saturday, Mitchell Silver, commissioner for the New York City Parks Department, also stopped by the TF. (He spoke to CBS 2 in this report.)

East Village resident Adam Zhu (pictured below), who grew up skating here, launched a petition in late June to spare the asphalt from the fake turf ... and eventually gathered more than 32,000 signatures from people who wanted to preserve this important part of the skate community and youth culture.



EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the TF on Saturday and shared these photos...

















































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The turf project will still happen at several area parks as a result of the city's flood-protection plan that will close East River Park next March for 3.5-plus years. The city needs to find space for the sports teams and youth leagues who use the fields along East River Park.

There's a march and rally for East River Park on Saturday, Sept. 21. Details at this link. We'll be posting much more about this event in the days ahead.

2nd Avenue gas explosion trial starts today

[119 2nd Ave. as seen last week]

The trial is set to start today (per ABC 7) for Maria Hrynenko and two others for their role in the gas explosion on March 26, 2015, that killed two men, Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón, and leveled three buildings — 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave.

The trial could last as long as three months in Manhattan Supreme Court, the Daily News reported last week.

Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line at 121 Second Ave. then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

Charges against Hrynenko, Kukic and Ioannidis include second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and several counts of assault in connection to more than a dozen injured victims.

As the News reported last week, the defense is expected to argue that tampering was not the root cause of the explosion. "I think the DA is going to try and show that there were all these irregularities regarding the gas piping," said Kukic’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo. "None of that is what caused the gas to leak."

This past March, the fifth defendant, Andrew Trombettas, was sentenced to probation and community service. Trombettas had previously pleaded guilty for his role in rubber-stamping a modification to 121 Second Ave. prior to the explosion. The D.A.'s office charged him with two counts of "Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony."

Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and No. 121 that Hrynenko owned. As the top photo shows, workers have been quickly erecting the Morris Adjmi-designed building at 119 Second Ave. (aka 45 E. Seventh St.) — that will feature 21 condo units and ground-floor retail. The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Figueroa and Locón.

Updated 8 a.m.

The Times has a trial preview today:

A lawyer for Ms. Hrynenko did not respond to a request for comment.

Ms. Hrynenko did not tell detectives about the illegal gas line, prosecutors said, and she shredded nine garbage bags full of documents pertaining to her real estate business.

But legal experts and defense lawyers say that it is difficult to convince a jury that someone is guilty of manslaughter in cases where slipshod construction work has led to deaths.

Under New York law, prosecutors will have to prove that Ms. Hrynenko, Mr. Kukic and Mr. Ioannidis were aware that they were acting recklessly, and disregarded the potential risk of death to others. Prosecutors would also have to show that the risks were not something that a reasonable person would have ignored.

“Being aware of a substantial risk would seem to be inconsistent with maintaining their property and obtaining tenants, making it challenging to prove that level of reckless intent,” said Kevin McCarthy, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who previously worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey and an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Jury selection starts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion that killed 2 men

This week in CB3 committee meetings: plans for P.S. 64 town hall, updates on Mount Sinai Beth Israel's new hospital

A few items of interest this week at Community Board 3 committee meetings (aside from the SLA), which are open to the public to attend:

Monday (tonight!)
Arts & Cultural Affairs Subcommittee
6:30 p.m., Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street

• The committee is finalizing plans for a town hall about the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. This event will take place on Sept. 23 at Theater for the New City. We'll update when the details of the town hall are made public.

On Feb. 7, local elected officials gathered outside the building and urged the city to reclaim the property for community use. Read more background about the long-vacant property here.



Tuesday (tomorrow!)
Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee
6:30 p.m., University Settlement at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery

• There's an informational presentation on Mount Sinai Beth Israel's new hospital at 302 E. 14th St. and 311-315 E. 13 St. Mount Sinai reps will provide info about the loading zone, traffic and construction plans.

As previously reported in the fall of 2016, the Mount Sinai Health System is in the midst of its years-long project to rebuild Mount Sinai Beth Israel, transitioning to a network of smaller facilities throughout lower Manhattan.

The plans include an expanded facility on 14th Street and Second Avenue, which includes a new 7-story hospital on 13th Street. In July, Mount Sinai Beth Israel officials released more details on their "$1 billion downtown transformation," which you can read about at this link.

A new (familiar) owner for Takahachi on Avenue A

Takahachi, the 29-year-old sushi restaurant at 85 Avenue A, will have a new owner.

Jack Hlaing — aka Jack the Chef — will appear before CB3's SLA committee tonight for a new wine-beer license for the restaurant between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

Hlaing, who has worked here for 19 years, says in a letter to CB3 that owner Hiroyuki Takahashi is giving him the opportunity to buy the place.

"I have no intention to change [the] method of operation or [make] alterations related to new business," he writes. "It will be resumed as it was before."

You can find the letter with the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website.


[Photo of Hlaing from 2018 by True World Foods]

Takahachi opened here in 1990. The owner later expanded to Tribeca with a restaurant on Duane Street in 2002 and a bakery on Murray Street in 2010.

As The Infatuation wrote about the East Village location: "On any given night, it’s safe to assume 75 percent of the restaurant are regulars. It’s that kind of spot. Good food and a personal connection, no wonder people keep coming back. Next time you need sushi in the East Village, Takahachi is the move."

[Updated] C&B is weekends only at the moment at Paper Daisy on St. Mark's Place

This post has been updated...

Over the weekend, the C&B logo was replaced at 39 St. Mark's Place with signage for Bar Ilegal. (Thanks to Brian I. Oxman for the photos!) The letters on the door read "11C Mezcal Bar."



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Updated 9/10

According to a Paper Daisy rep:

C&B is still in operation. We are operating weekends only at the moment while we work on growing Paper Daisy. Bar Ilegal is a collaboration between C&B and some friends who are doing a brief pop-up in the space during the evenings. While the space looks different for the time being, we are still serving the same product on the weekends as always.

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C&B Cafe opened in the late winter in this spot just east of Second Avenue.

Some background. C&B chef-owner Ali Sahin was brought in to be the executive chef for Paper Daisy, which opened in March and whose creative team features East Village residents Jaime Felber, Darin Rubell and Thomas Flynn. Combined, their local credits include Boulton & Watt, Drexler’s and Mister Paradise.

Meanwhile, the 4-year-old C&B Cafe continues on at its original location at 178 E. Seventh St. near Avenue B.

As for this St. Mark's Place address, Cafe Orlin closed here in October 2017 after 36 years of service.

Previously on EV Grieve:
C&B Cafe now part of new venture taking over the former Cafe Orlin space on St. Mark's Place

C&B Cafe debuts outpost on St. Mark's Place

Could there be news soon about the reopening of the Tompkins Square Park Avenue B children’s playgrounds?

The word from Tompkins Square Park: Inspectors are expected to look over the new equipment in the recently renovated Avenue B playground today (Monday!)...



If all goes well, then we should have word of a grand re-opening here soon.

The work started last Oct. 1 on the southeast portion of the Park, which saw the closure of the entrances on Seventh Street at Avenue B and Eighth Street at Avenue B. The space was expected to reopen some time this month.

H/T Steven!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Nearly 11 months in, Tompkins Square Park playground rehab winding down

Fire temporarily closes Gyu-Kaku on Cooper Square

A small fire inside Gyu-Kaku on Cooper Square Thursday evening has temporarily ko'd the restaurant.



The official FDNY Twitter feed puts the fire at just before 8 p.m. The FDNY had the fire under control in 20-plus minutes...

MAN ALL HANDS 34 COOPER SQ, COMMERCIAL FIRE ON FIRST FLR,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 5, 2019

MAN ALL HANDS 34 COOPER SQ, COMMERCIAL FIRE ON FIRST FLR, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 6, 2019

No word on where the fire started. The Citizen app mentioned the fire started on a table. (That information has not been verified.)



Gyu-Kaku is a chain of Japanese yakiniku restaurants specializing in barbecue that diners can prepare at their tables. As the sign on the door notes, their Midtown locations are open.

On tonight's CB3-SLA agenda, applicants for 185 Avenue C, 507 E. 6th St.

[185 Avenue C]

Here are a few of the items on tonight's CB3-SLA agenda...

New Liquor License Applications

• Rumba NYC Bar & Grill Corp, 185 Avenue C between 11th Street and 12th Street

A bar-restaurant with a Latin-influenced menu called Rumba NYC Bar & Grill is in the works for this space. The proposed hours are 2 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; with a 2 a.m. close on Friday and Saturday.

The applicants also run Salome Latin Cuisine on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, per the questionnaire on the CB3 website.

There has been a lot of turnover in recent years at this address. The last tenant, Bar Taco, which closed earlier this year, arrived in early 2018, taking over the space from a short-lived venture called Malcriada, a self-described "Latino Gastropub" ... which arrived after Kaz, another short-lived venture that lasted seven months.

Cafecito, the Cuban-style cafe, had a good run here, closing in early 2016 after 14 years in business.


[505 E. 6th St.]

Items not heard at Committee

• Entity to be formed by Jae Lee, 507 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (wine-beer only)

A Korean-American restaurant called Nowon will open in this space.

The applicant, Jae Lee, has been running the well-regarded kitchen at Black Emperor on Second Avenue. He was previously the executive chef of Rice & Gold at Hotel 50 Bowery.

NowOn's hours are listed at 5 p.m. to midnight during the week, with a noon opening on Saturday and Sunday. Find the full questionnaire here.

No. 507 was last Carma East, the dim sum bar that closed in early 2019.

Tonight's CB3-SLA committee meeting starts at 6:30 at the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pub in the works for longtime corner bar space on Houston and Suffolk

Sunday's parting shot

An early morning shot along Avenue A today...

Week in Grieview

[Tropical paradise on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]

Posts this past week included...

Jury selection starts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion that killed 2 men (Tuesday)

Parks officials say they will NOT be putting down a synthetic turf in Tompkins Square Park; skateboarders rejoice (Friday)

On Avenue A, Coney Island Baby transforms into Lola; live music to share stage with club nights (Thursday)

Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen is back open for the fall (and winter and spring) (Wednesday)

2nd acts: Sushi counter for the former Amato Opera on the Bowery (Tuesday)

Artichoke Basille’s Pizza vying for former Nicoletta space on 2nd Avenue and 10th Street (Tuesday)

This week's NY See (Friday)


[At the 6 & B Garden via riachung00]

L train work moves to the entrance of the future Trader Joe's on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Report: Stabbing on Avenue A sends police on chase through Tompkins Square Park (Friday)

At Gallery 72, everything that John Holmstrom did with the Ramones (Thursday)

Frisson Espresso has closed on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Reader report: A dog-kicking incident on 10th Street (Wednesday)

A new-look storefront emerges on 7th and B (Friday)

An unsettling find on 5th Street (Tuesday)

Now the Basics Plus on University Place is closing (Tuesday)

Report: Man arrested for attempting to kidnap 5-year-old boy outside Katz's (Monday)

Openings (Night Music) and reopenings (Sauce Restaurant) (Friday)

The return of "yuppie scum" at the former home of the Sunshine Cinema (Thursday)

Pub in the works for longtime corner bar space on Houston and Suffolk (Wednesday)

A warning about sitting on these tree guard railings on 5th Street (Monday)

Whatever happened to the former Heathers space on 13th Street? (Wednesday)

The Alley now in soft-open bubble tea mode on Cooper Square (Tuesday)

...and a photo via Eden from the women's restroom in Tompkins Square Park — "keep out crackheads" ...



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Today's free show in Tompkins Square Park

SOS & Friends are hosting a free concert — a little rock, metal and punk — in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon in the usual place.

The lineup:

2:30 p.m. — Phantom Rocket
3 p.m. — SOS NYC
3:30 p.m. — Drownyard
4 p.m. — Final Siege
4: 30 p.m. — Blueblack
5 p.m. — Violent in Black
5:30 p.m. — Crimshaw

Part 2 is Sept. 14.

Saturday's parting shots

A few scenes from the 49th annual 10th Street Block Party today ... photos by Derek Berg...

A farewell to Unkle Waltie

Friends gathered this afternoon at the International Bar on First Avenue to pay tribute to longtime East Village resident (and iBar regular) Walter Kohl aka Unkle Waltie. He died July 30 at age 69.

Photo by Steven

The 49th annual 10th Street block party is today (on 10th Street)

Happening today (Sept. 9/7) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 10th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

As always, there will be antiques, collectible and music brought to you by the 10th Street and Stuyvesant Street Block Association. #GoodTimes

H/T Steven

Breaking: Parks officials say they will NOT be putting down a synthetic turf in Tompkins Square Park; skateboarders rejoice

[EVG file photo]

On the eve of a rally to save the Tompkins Square Park multipurpose courts from a future of synthetic turf, Parks officials have announced that they will no longer move forward with their plans.

Organizers behind tomorrow's rally posted the news on Instagram...

View this post on Instagram

WE WON. The city called and announced they are NOT going to install AstroTurf at Tompkins. It’s not a coincidence they made the decision the day before the rally. We organized, made our voices heard, and made a difference. TF IS HERE TO STAY! Big thanks to @quartersnacks @stevernyc @carlinalrivera @supremenewyork @hardbody.nyc Everyone still come out tomorrow! It’s a celebration! Not a protest! I could cry right now 😅✊

A post shared by Adam Zhu (@z.h.u1) on Sep 6, 2019 at 2:55pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Thanks to the Tompkins community who made this happen and @nycparks for listening.

A post shared by Steve Rodriguez (@stevernyc) on Sep 6, 2019 at 2:22pm PDT

As we reported on July 2, the city had plans — apparently only known to residents who may have attended a Community Board committee meeting in May — to cover the courts with synthetic turf, rendering the space useless for skateboarders and street hockey players, among other groups.

The turf project, happening at several area parks, is a result of the city's flood-protection plan that will close East River Park next March for 3.5-plus years. The city needs to find space for the sports teams and youth leagues who use the fields along East River Park.

More than 32,000 people had signed the petition — titled "Save Tompkins Square asphalt!" — since early July.

Instead of a rally tomorrow, the skateboarders are now planning a celebration.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• No winners yet in Tompkins Square Park synthetic turf battle (Aug. 27)

• Petition to 'Save Tompkins Square asphalt!' closing in on 19,000 signatures (July 8)

• Skateboarders upset over plan to add synthetic turf to the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park (July 2)

Great 'Pains'

The Brooklyn-based Tempers have a new album, titled Private Life, coming out on Oct. 25. The video here is for the first single, "Capital Pains."

A back-to-school BBQ at La Plaza on Saturday

La Plaza Cultural is hosting its annual back-to-school BBQ tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 7) at the community garden on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

Aside from the BBQ, there's a book bag/school supplies giveaway as well as other activities for kids.

The event is also in honor Ninth Street resident and fellow gardener Felicia Mahmood, who passed away on April 14. The La Plaza invite notes that Mahmood "pretty much singlehandedly organized, sponsored and ran this event for many years."

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood.